There's a War Going On

This one is for my Colorado Springs riding buddies.

I recently realized that I am in the midst of a calculated chess match between the "Tribal Council of Tech" and the "Trail Means Path Association".  It wasn't an immediate realization, but I had noticed some strange changes here and there.  When it finally hit me was when the trail nearly hit me.  I took the tech option on a section.  There is about a 3 foot drop on this line with a little helper rock about a foot away for a smooth roll off.  The proper way to ride this lip would be to wheelie drop it, but the helper rock meant if you wheelie dropped the exit, it was likely you would nail the back wheel on that helper rock (which I did once, Stan's rims are freaking awesome!).  On this day as I exited, the helper rock was gone.  It was sudden and I was caught off guard. I survived the nose wheelie and said out loud, "That's not cool man!"  and for that moment, I was on the wrong side of the battle.  That helper rock didn't belong in the tech line, but I needed it.

I spent the rest of the ride thinking about my alignment with the Tribal Council of Tech.  Sure, I'm getting soft, but I stand by my allegiance to the tech.  I was used to this at Palmer Park and, because I expected it. It  made things interesting.  Feature was changed, Council didn't like it, put it back. Cat and mouse.  Here it was different.  I didn't know I was playing Russian Roulette on trail.

Whatever the case, now I know and I am looking forward, literally, to seeing how the war plays out here.  As always, I stand by the Tech.

By the way, on my next ride, the helper rock was back. Boooo, take the easy line if you don't like it.

Just some old pic's of things funny and sick.

What does this picture say to you?

Kids and adults pushing pedals at a local jump park in ABQ.

Thanksgiving

I give thanks for:
1) cranks
2) singletrack
3) rocks & berms

Define Mountain Biking

If I ride my mountain bike up a mountain with no trail, only road, is it still mountain biking?

If so, that means if I ride my road bike on the same ride, that's mountain biking too, right?

Hmmm...

uh-oh

Doesn't Deserve a Name

Some people eat to calm their nerves.  I eat to kill time until I can ride. Either way is not so good.  Maybe if I spend enough time thinking about riding my mind will generate a placebo effect on my body and I will feel like I rode.  Then I'll eat some more because I'm tired from my mental ride.

Rocks Belong in Trails

Mountains are made out of rocks.  Therefore their should be rocks in and on trails.  I once read about a blind man who mountain bikes by feel.  It must hurt his feelings even worse than mine when he feels piles of loose dirt in areas that once had challenging, and fun rock features.  I just don't understand why the rocks can't stay in their homes.

Greasy Hand Adventures

I volunteered at the Rescue Mission today.  It was awesome.  Here is the rundown:

-  Dude rolls up with a BMX with no brakes and a bent quill stem.  I spend a while trying to get the stem out.

- Another dude rolls up and needs a phillip screw driver.

- I finally get Dude 1's bent quill stem out.  We try to pirate a stem off an ancient dead BMX.  Wrong size.

- Dude 2 needs a socket wrench and some allen keys.

- We pirate some brakes for Dude 1's bike.  They don't fit (mounting stud is too short).

- Dude 2 fixed all his stuff and rolled out.  He left all my tools behind.  Shame on you for thinking...

- I put Dude 1's bike back together broken.  Fail.  Maybe Dude 2 needs to be turning the wrenches.

When I got home, I celebrated (celebrate win or lose, succeed or fail, that's my motto) with a tasty beverage.

10:39am

10/30/12 10:39am

I'm sitting in front of a class full of kids writing silently.  I see the mountains out the window and a warm sensation flows into my face.  I suddenly feel the strong urge to ride.  4 hours and 26 minutes until the car.  4 hours and 51 minutes until I turn some cranks. Waiting...